Inconsistencies

[M.Ali]

Salam

In th Quran it is stated in surah Luqman (31.14) "His mother bore him by bearing strain upon strain, and his utter dependance on her lasted no less than two years".

In surah Al-Baqarah (2.233) "If the (divorved) mothers wish to nurse their infants, the father shall provide for the mother's sustenance and clothing equitably up to two years of nursing".

In surah Al-Ahqaf (46.15) "The carrying of a child and his total dependence on her took thirty months". (QXP)

Why the inconsistencies?.

[tammyswofford]

There is not necessarily inconsistency, rather an over-reading of text. Look at medicine and human growth and development from neonate to about age two years. Specifically, the study of pediatrics. Growth and development is placed into three months windows. For instance, there is a window of time when the baby should begin to roll over, sit up without head support, have their first tooth eruption, etc. No pediatrician will give the mother an exact date at which certain physical activities, such as eye-hand coordination to pick up objects, etc should occur. These things exist in windows of time.

Now the financial support of the mother and child is codified, a done deal, as far as al-Quran. But child dependency and nursing are different issues. The same remains true on instructions for waiting period of widows prior to remarriage. The timeline is set in stone. But please note, that the Qur'an also allows for a discreet understanding between a widow and a suitor, prior to the allocated waiting period ends. smile

So you are seeing "doctrine" on one side of the coin and "human behavior" on the other. Another similar example is that a woman must wait three months to see what Allah has hidden in the womb prior to divorce. In most cases, within two months of a missed menstrual cycle women "know" that Allah has indeed hidden something in the womb. But length of time between cycles for women can vary by days or weeks. smile I hope this helps.

Tammy Swofford

[Arnold Yasin Mol]

Salaam Mohammed,

Please read the verse correctly again:

Nursing the baby AFTER birth is 2 years:

31.14 "His mother bore him by bearing strain upon strain, and his utter dependance on her lasted no less than two years".

2.233 "If the (divorved) mothers wish to nurse their infants, the father shall provide for the mother's sustenance and clothing equitably up to two years of nursing".

Is thus 20-24 months.

Carrying the child + nursing it:

46:15 "The carrying of a child AND his total dependence on her took thirty months".

Is thus 7-9 months carrying + 20-24 months nursing = around 30 months.


Hope it helps....

[UmeAimon]

Salam,

I read somewhere that the minimum time required by a fetus to develop into a baby and be strong enough to survive if delivered, is six months. Although I never asked a doctor personally but had heard about babies surviving after being delivered only after six months of pregnancies :). It cleared that thirty months confusion I also had some time ago.

Allah always knows the best

a sister